1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and more particularly, to a monolithic air conditioner that is designed to have a sufficient airflow space by reducing parts and to have an improved air discharge structure to prevent discharging air from leaking through other places other than an indoor air outlet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an air conditioner is operated as a refrigerant goes through a cooling cycle having a series of processes such as a compression process, a condensing process, an expanding process, and a vaporizing process. That is, after the refrigerant is compressed to a high temperature and pressure state, heat is discharged to an outer side by a condenser. Then, the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant are lowered as it goes through an expansion valve. Then, the refrigerant goes through the vaporizer to absorb heat and returns to the condenser.
Here, the compression, condensing and expansion processes are performed in an indoor unit of the air conditioner. The vaporizing process is performed by a blower fan and a heat exchanger.
Meanwhile, the air conditioner is generally classified into a monolithic air conditioner having indoor and outdoor units that are integrated and a split air conditioner having indoor and outdoor units that are split from each other. Particularly, the monolithic air conditioner is generated buried into an indoor wall such that a vaporizer is disposed facing an indoor side and a condenser is disposed facing an outdoor side.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a monolithic air conditioner according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 1, a typical monolithic air conditioner 10 includes a cabinet 21 defining an outer appearance of the air conditioner 10, a front panel 12 to be mounted on a front portion of the cabinet 21, a front grill 11 to be mounted on a front of the front panel 12 to guide suction of indoor air, and an indoor heat exchanger 13 mounted on a rear portion of the front panel 12 to exchange heat with the sucked indoor air.
The monolithic air conditioner 10 further includes an orifice unit 14, an air guide 15 defining indoor air outlet in an upper portion, and a scroll 16. When assembled, the indoor heat exchanger 13 is seated on a front of the orifice unit 14, the orifice unit 14 is seated on a front of the air guide 15, and the scroll 16 is mounted on a back of the air guide 15 to guide discharging of sucked indoor air.
The monolithic air conditioner 10 further includes a barrier 17, a shroud 18, an outdoor heat exchanger 20, and a base 23. When assembled, the barrier 17 is mounted on a back of the scroll 16 to divide inner space of the monolithic air conditioner 10 into an indoor air compartment and an outdoor air compartment. The shroud 18 is mounted on a back of the barrier 17 to guide sucked outdoor air. The outdoor heat exchanger 20 is mounted on a back of the shroud 18 to exchange heat with the sucked outdoor air. The base 23 receives parts from the front panel 12 through the outdoor heat exchanger 20.
The monolithic air conditioner 10 further includes an indoor fan 25, an outdoor fan 27, a driving motor 24 rotating the indoor fan 25 and the outdoor fan 27, a motor support 26, and control unit 22. When assembled, the indoor fan 25 is installed between the orifice unit 14 and the air guide 15 to suck indoor air, the outdoor fan 27 is installed between the barrier 17 and the shroud 18 to suck outdoor air, the motor support 26 supports the driving motor 24, and the control unit 22 is mounted on a back of the front panel 12 to control the operation of the monolithic air conditioner 10.
The monolithic air conditioner 10 further includes a shroud cover 18a and a brace 19. When assembled, the shroud cover 18a is detachably coupled to a top of the shroud 18, and the brace 19 connects the shroud 18 and the scroll 16.
Plenty of parts should be assembled to the monolithic air conditioner 10.
In detail, the monolithic air conditioner 10 includes the barrier 17 to divide its inner space to the indoor air compartment and the outdoor air compartment. Also, the monolithic air conditioner 10 includes the orifice unit 14, the air guide 15, and the scroll 16 to smoothly discharge the indoor air sucked. Further, the monolithic air conditioner 10 includes the brace 19 to connect the scroll 16 and the shroud 18 and the shroud cover 18a coupled to the top of the shroud 18 to guide discharging of sucked outdoor air.
As described above, since the monolithic air conditioner 10 requires excessive parts, the inner space of the monolithic air conditioner 10 reduces and thus the indoor air and the outdoor air cannot be smoothly circulated through the monolithic air conditioner 10. Also, the size of the monolithic air conditioner 10 increases. Further, assembling process of monolithic air conditioner 10 becomes complicated and the cost of the monolithic air conditioner 10 increases.
In addition, air leakage occurs when the sucked indoor air is discharged from the monolithic air conditioner 10. In detail, cool air leaked during the discharging operation is directed again to the indoor heat exchanger 13, thereby reducing heat exchange efficiency of the indoor heat exchanger 13.